how to measure your window for blinds

Your blinds can be fitted inside the window frame (‘inside fit’) or on the outside of the window on the wall or architrave (‘outside fit’).

Inside fit is the most common option chosen as it provides a clean look that is more aesthetically appealing than an outside fit.  It does, however, allow some light to get past the outside edges of the blind.  If desired this can be minimised by setting the blind further back into the window frame.

Check your windows for any obstacles that may impede the smooth operation of a blind such as handles, latches or mullions (wood or aluminium vertical divider between windows). Be especially careful in the case of sliding doors.

Outside fit is where the blind is fitted on the outside of the window frame on the wall or architrave. This option is less common however you may wish to select this option based on the following:

•  A particular look you are trying to achieve
• Blocks more light as the blind covers the full face of the window
• The window frame is not deep enough to hold the blinds in the case of an inside fit
• There are obstacles in the window frame that the blinds might hit
• The window itself may not be a regular shape

measuring technique for an outside fit blind 

Before measuring the window for an outside fit you need to decide how you are going to fit the blinds which will in part depend on the style of your window frames:

• If your windows do not have architraves then the blinds will generally be fitted to the wall above the window frame (so the screws can fix into the lintel behind your gib)
• If your windows have architraves you may either fix the blind brackets to the outside edges of the architraves or to the wall above the architraves

If you decide to fix the blind brackets to the architraves note that the width of the actual blind will be slightly less than the width of the architraves, hence some of the architrave will show when the blind is down / closed.

measuring outside fit – blind fixed to the wall

To measure an outside fit where the blind is to be fixed to the wall (i.e. above the window frame or architrave) carry out the following steps:

width measurement

• Measure the outside width of your window frame / architrave
• Add 70mm to your measurement (see figure 3)
• Note down the adjusted measurement on the self measure – self install page or the printable blind measuring sheet.

drop measurement

• Measure the outside height of your window frame / architrave
• Add 100mm to your measurement (see figure 3)
• Note down the adjusted measurement on the self measure – self install page or the printable blind measuring sheet. 

measuring outside fit – blind fixed to the architrave

To measure an outside fit where the blind is to be fixed to the architrave, measure the outside width of the window architrave (‘width’) and the outside height of the architrave (‘drop’) (see figure 4).

Note these measurements down on the self measure – self install page or the printable blind measuring sheet. 

Do not make any adjustments or deductions to these measurements.